The New Amazon Echo Family for 2017

There have been smart speakers before and there have been digital voice assistants before, but it really was the Amazon Echo with Alexa that really delivered these technologies to the mainstream. And today, the Amazon Echo family is expanding once again. What? You thought they were done with the Echo Show and Echo Look? Perish the thought!

Working our way from left to right on the image above, first on the docket is the second-generation Amazon Echo. It takes all the core functionality of the original Echo and shoves it into a smaller, squatter package that can be wrapped up in your choice of different fabric or wood veneer shells. Beauty goes beyond skin deep, as the new Echo also gets better far-field microphones for more accurate voice recognition from afar. It retails for $99.99 or you can pick up three units for $250 when you use promo code ECHO3PACK.

The second addition to the new Amazon Echo family is the new Echo Plus, which looks a lot more like the original Echo. The improvements here are more technical with better microphones and Dolby sound. It also acts as a hub for smart home controls, featuring Zigbee support and a free Philips Hue bulb to get started. The Echo Plus is listed at $149.99.

Perhaps the cutest of the bunch is the new Echo Spot, priced at $129.99. It's like an Echo Dot, but with a touchscreen like the Echo Show. The 2.5-inch display can be used for weather reports and video chats. Using this as an alarm clock seems like a natural fit, as well as a good way to check in on the nursery. There's also a 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth for streaming music, including support for multi-room music.

All three of the new Echo devices are up for pre-order now. The 2nd-gen Echo and the new Echo Plus should ship on October 31, and the Echo Spot will follow on December 19.

In addition to the new Amazon Echo family, the company also announced the all-new Fire TV. This is one of the two leaked devices from a couple weeks ago. The square-shaped HDMI dongle plugs into your TV to provide 4K ultra HD (at 60 frames per second), Dolby Atmos and HDR. The Alexa-enabled remote completes the package for $69. Pre-orders are being taken now with a scheduled release date of October 25.